SNP MPs have raised questions in the Commons after claiming the Scotland Office undertook a "very targeted" social media campaign in the Scottish Secretary's own constituency.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said there were "very clear rules under which the Government" operated, arguing that the Scottish Government targets "specific audiences".
Speaking during Scotland questions, Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) asked: "It must be more than a coincidence that the Scotland Office did a very targeted Facebook campaign in his own constituency."
SNP colleague Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) said: "We've been told that the Scotland Office published numerous Facebook posts to coincide with (Government) visits, but it appears the posts only relating to his constituency received a financial boost.
"If this is the case and the Scotland Office is seen to be micro targeting tailored Facebook adverts only to voters in his constituency, does he consider this a misuse of taxpayers' money and an abuse of power?"
Mundell replied: "If he has specific suggestions that the very clear rules under which the Government operates have been breached, then I would like to hear them, but it's very clear, for example, that the Scottish Government target specific audiences, and if he is saying that they do not I will be very surprised to hear that."
Conservative Douglas Ross (Moray) said: "Cambridge Analytica claimed yesterday that the SNP's involvement with them was far more than Nicola Sturgeon has previously claimed.
"Does he agree that the SNP should be far more open and honest about their involvement with CA, particularly with their own MPs?"
Tory Kevin Foster (Torbay) said: "Would he agree that it's important the separatists are equally open about how they've used these consultancies?"
Mundell replied: "The SNP have a very great many questions to answer about their involvement with Cambridge Analytica."
Labour shadow Scotland minister Paul Sweeney argued it was "rather ironic" that SNP MPs had raised the issue of social media consultancies, "given their subsequent unwillingness to offer basic transparency over their party's dealings with CA".
He asked: "While his Government decimates public services, his department spent around £50,000 on targeted social media. So can he tell us what data the Scotland Office gathered on the public and whether he believes this was an appropriate use of taxpayers' money."
Mundell replied: "The Scotland Office didn't gather data on the public, we used established methods of effectively advertising on Facebook... so in terms of the Scotland Office fulfilling its obligation to the people of Scotland about what this Government is doing and what the Scotland Office is doing, social media is a perfectly appropriate channel to do it through."
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